A Sweet Sweepstakes: Get a Nerdy Nummies Goody Box

Nerdy Nummies and Rosario Pansino are celebrating their year launch of the Nerdy Nummies Cookbook by giving away 20 Nerdy Nummies Goody Boxes.  Click HERE for your chance to win!

Spend $25 get a FREE Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye and Cheek Palette.

Did you love our Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye and Cheek Palette makeup looks, like The Elizabeth, The Jane, The Mary, and The Kitty?  Now you can get read to show off these elegant eye looks for Halloween with this special deal by BH Cosmetics!!!  If you spend $25 or more, you can get Free shipping and a Free Pride + Prejudice + Zombies Eye and Cheek Palette.  This palette alone ordinarily costs $12.50.  This is a great deal and the free palette supplies won't last long.  Be sure to get yours today, by clicking HERE.

Try Again or Toss: e.l.f. Cosmetics Baked Highlighter

I love a beauty bargain!  Especially when the bargain comes from a company, like e.l.f. Cosmetics, that produces inexpensive products without compromising product quality.  I love the e.l.f. Cosmetics eyeliners and blushes.  So when I found out that e.l.f. Cosmetics has baked highlighters, I jumped right on board.  These highlighters sell out pretty fast so they must be really good, right?

My first impression of the highlighter I bought, which was Blush Gems ($3.00) was well...meh.  The payoff wasn't fantastic and to be honest looked like I did not have any highlighter on.  I found it difficult to get enough product on my cosmetic brush and it required too much effort to continuously swirl the brush in the product, then apply onto the high points of my cheeks, and repeat the same process over the areas I thought I just covered.

I hate discarding cosmetics, even if it just cost me $3.00.  So I gave it the old college try and worked at the highlighter again.  Check out this easy step out to decide if the e.l.f. baked highlighter is worth another try or a toss:

1.  Use your finger rather than a brush.  I know it sounds strange.  But your fingers have a lot of ridges, grooves, and oil that pick up pigment better than a brush can.

2.  Wet your finger and then press into the highlighter.  This is a baked highlighter, which means it can be applied on wet and wet actually increases the intensity.  Once you have picked up enough product with your wet finger apply to the high-points on your face.

So Toss or Try Again?  My verdict: try again.  It actually works out much better using a damp finger application.  Let me know what your verdict is!

Medusa's Makeup October 2016 Unboxing

This is my review on the Medusa's Makeup October 2016 subscription.  I started my subscription this month after running across a Facebook Ad that listed a subscription service for all vegan, cruelty-free cosmetics.  Medusa's Makeup monthly box subscription costs $15.95 per month and ships 3 days after your credit card has been charged.  Each box comes with 3-5 products that are valued at $40.  I also viewed some of the reviews on youtube and was really interested after seeing what products came in the August and September unboxing this year.

I received my October subscription at the time Medusa's said I would.  It came in a metallic purple bubble wrap package and a small postcard describing the product theme.  The postcard featured some really cool artwork.

The first item I took out was a pair of false eyelashes and eyelash glue.  The eyelashes were secured in a heart shape container.  The cost of this item is $8.00.

The second and third items I pulled out were packaged together.  They were Red Square lipstick ($12.00) and eye glitter in abracadabra (black; $7.00).  The Red Square lipstick is a cherry red that I don't typically wear.  However, the lipstick is creamy and glides on easy.  The eye glitter is fairly black and doesn't really shine until you place it directly under a light.

The last item The Fix glitter adhesive ($8.00).  The Fix is a bit waxy (I think it is made of bees wax) but it will hold the glitter in place.

The product value came to $35, $5 missing from the promised $40.  My overall take on this October unboxing is....meh.  I'm not sure if it is because I wouldn't have selected these products for myself or that my expectations were so high after watching the August and September unboxing youtube videos.  I will try out the products and see if I like them, even though they are things I don't typically use.  I will also give the subscription 2 more months before I determine if I should cancel it or not.  Here's hoping that the next unboxing will have the Sugar Daddy lipstick!

Stila Sale for Breast Cancer Awareness

Stila is having a 40% off sale on selected cosmetics to support Breast Cancer Awareness.  We like the Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadow in Rose Quartz ($32.00; $19.20) and the One Step Illuminate ($36; $21.60).  Sale is good until 10/31/2016.  Use code BCA at checkout. 

Beauty Trove-Top 5 Favorites for September 2016

It’s hard to believe we are already in the pumpkin spiced filled month of October.  Ah, September, I hardly knew you.  But I did have a lot of fun discovering new makeup items and finally getting around to some of the products I had sitting in my drawers.  If you want to know what the Beauty Trove Blog has loved this September, continue to scroll down.

1.  MaryKay’s CC Cream:  I’ve been wearing this nonstop this month.  This is hands down one of my new favorite CC creams.  The coverage is very good and you only need about 2-3 pumps per application.  I use the Real Techniques sponges to apply the foundation for a flawless look that doesn’t look like I am pancaked in makeup.  It wears well throughout the day and after 8-9 hours when makeup typically breaks down, you will have a dewy finish on your skin. CC cream is sold for $20.

2.   Katty Kat Matte lipstick in Catour.  Okay, let’s get one thing straight the Katty Kat Matte lipstick line is definitely not matte.  However, there are some really lovely shades.  The one I have found myself reaching to all this month is Catour.  Catour is a lovely nude, pink-brown color.  The application is great.  It feels very silky and stays on with maybe one reapply during the day.  I’ve been mainly wearing a lot of nude and matte eye looks this month and the color pairs well.  I think the color would also work if you play up your eyes in really bright colors.  The lipstick is at a great price too.  Lipstick sells for $8.99.

1.  3. Tarte double duty shape tape contour concealer ($24.00).   I’m just going to say, where has this product been all of my life?  If you are like me and suffer from dark under eyes, you need this

concealer.  The concealer tube itself is packaged in a cute way; it comes with a chubby looking applicator.  The product is a dream!  You only need one little dot and it covers up any dark circles or blemishes.  It blends in nicely with the Mary Kay CC Cream and doesn’t sink into any wrinkles or creases around the eye.  It is a prestige brands so the product is going to fall on the higher end of the price scale.  But you only need a little bit of the product to cover even larger areas on the face so in the end you will need to use less than drug store concealers.

4.  Pur Cosmetics Love Your Selfie palette ($39.00).  Okay, I know I’m somewhat late getting to the party on this one.  Where do I begin?  This palette has everything: 8 pigmented eyeshadows for both natural and dramatic eye looks, 1 look at my glow highlighter, 1 goddess-like bronzer, 1 fabulous rose pink blush, 1 deluxe mascara, and 1 creamy, nude lip gloss.  I took this palette on a vacation and it was (in addition to my foundation) all the makeup I needed.  I received several compliments about my makeup using this palette.  This is a great investment for the price. I love the shade "capture", it is a great transition color. The only thing is that the eyeshadows are a little dusty so you just need to have light hand when you go to dip your brush into the pan.

  5. Assis LED Lighted Travel Mirror ($26.99)This is the best mirror that I have found for getting up close and grooming eyebrows and removing unwanted facial hair.  The 10X magnification combined with LED illumination makes sure you see each and every hair.

   Come Shop With Me, Your Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant!!!

http://www.marykay.com/elamont1

Juvia's Place The Nubian Eye Shadow Back in Stock!

The very popular Juvia's Place, The Nubian Eye Shadow palette ($23.50) is back in stock.  This neutral and highlight toned palette was featured in NikkieTutorial's August favorites.  The palette ships Oct. 27th.  Get your Nubian eye shadow now, while supplies last.  Sure to sell out.

Extend Your ColourPop Addiction- Free U.S. Shipping All Weekend

ColourPop did it again with another surprise.  The very popular free domestic shipping has been extended until Monday, October 17, 10 AM PST.  Here is your final chance to try out a new risk free look, such as a bold lip color.  I like CP's lippie in Notion (see on the left; $6.00).

A Tartelette in Bora Bora

What could be better than wearing Tarte Cosmetics' Brand New Tartetist Pro Amazonian Clay Palette, which has some of the most beautiful and insanely pigmented warm and cool tone eyeshadow colors for the Fall.  Seriously, my next beauty purchase is going to be this palette.  The only thing better is wearing it in Bora Bora of course!  Enter to win Tarte's Bora Bora Bound Sweepstakes!  The sweepstakes offers the winner free airfare for 2, 5 day stay at the 4 seasons Resort Bora Bora, car transfer to and from hotel, and tarte travel essentials valued at $1,000.  Click here for your chance to win!

Save on ColourPop- Free Domestic (U.S.) Shipping

ColourPop a LA based independent cosmetics company truly has incredible products.  Their unique eyeshadow, blush, and highlighter formula is buttery and extremely pigmented.  Their lipsticks, lip pencils, and lipglosses are smooth and long wearing.  ColourPop is a company that continuously stays ahead and predicts the next trend in beauty makeup.  I especially love all the Fall Edit colors.

ColourPop is offering free shipping on any amount and any priced item(s) until October 15 at 10 am PST.  This is a great deal if you do not want to spend $50+ to get free shipping.  This is a great opportunity for those who are new to ColourPop to try out a new lip shade, eyeshadow, or even eyeliner.  Some of my favorites are the Bee Sting liner ( an incredible turquoise blue that looks like it is a relative of the Smurfs; $5.00), Wolfie lipgloss (a rose metallic shade; $6.00), Perilune (a truly out of this world highlighter with flecks of green and gold, $8.00), and Dance Party (an insanely intense metallic purple that everyone should own; $5.00).  There is most certainly a lot to choose from so have fun shopping!

Perfect Pair: BT Pick for Lip Liner and Lip Color

I recently found a lip liner and lip gloss combination that is completely amazing!  I wanted to share this dynamic duo with you for the month of October.  This lip shade goes perfectly with natural or high impact color eyeshadows.  The pink-nude lip shown was done by filling in the lips with ColourPop's lip pencil in Contempo ($5.00), dusty rose.  All of ColourPop's lip pencils are very pigmented and creamy.  Then Urban Decay's Revolution High-Color Lipgloss in Liar ($22.00), a medium pink-nude, was applied on top of contempo.  Try the look out and comment below to let me know what you think!

Shaanoxo Palette on Sale: Get the Butterfly Fairy Look!

Youtube beauty vlogger, makeup artist, and international sensation Shannon Harris, more commonly known as Shannxo, has developed a beautifully crafted warm toned and duo-chrome majestic eyeshadow palette.  This eyeshadow palette was partnered by BH Cosmetics, one of the most affordable yet high quality cosmetic lines available.  The palette features an unbelievable 9 eyeshadows and 9 lipsticks.  I personally love this palette.  It is one of those cosmetic products that you can instantly go to and toss in your purse or luggage for easy travel.  The eyeshadow shades are gorgeous and blend well with little to no fallout.  The lip shades are creamy and versatile and can be mixed together for your own unique lip color.  Shaanxo has a number of tutorials for this palette on youtube.  My favorite one is her Butterfly Fairy cosmetic look seen below.  The Shaanxo eye and lip palette is now on sale at BH Cosmetics for $11.00 (orig. $22.00), 50% off!  I bought 2 more so that I will never be out of these wonderful dynamic and natural looking eyeshadows and lipsticks.